Samsung and ASML Partner to Bring High NA EUV to DRAM by 2028
The semiconductor giant is joining an industry-wide shift to 12-inch photomasks to accelerate AI-era chip production.
Samsung Electronics and ASML have expanded their strategic collaboration to accelerate the deployment of High Numerical Aperture (High NA) Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. The move aims to secure Samsung's manufacturing lead as the industry races to produce the advanced chips required for the AI era.
As part of the agreement, Samsung will join an industry initiative—alongside Intel, TSMC, and ASML—to transition from 6-inch to 12-inch photomask technology. This infrastructure shift is designed to remove stitching constraints and increase overall fab productivity, lowering the cost of producing next-generation semiconductors. Furthermore, Samsung announced plans to be the first in the industry to integrate High NA EUV into high-volume manufacturing for DRAM by 2028.
The Path to 2nm and Beyond
The semiconductor industry is currently pushing toward 2nm process nodes and below to meet the escalating compute demands of artificial intelligence. High NA EUV lithography is the critical technological leap required for this scaling, offering higher resolution and simplifying the manufacturing process by reducing the number of steps needed to print complex circuit patterns.
While the technology offers immense precision, it requires a systemic overhaul of the production line. The transition to larger 12-inch masks is a necessary prerequisite to fully leverage the capabilities of High NA systems, which are typically priced between $350 million and $400 million per unit.
Strategic Implications for AI Memory
This collaboration is a calculated move to secure Samsung's roadmap for both its foundry and memory businesses. By targeting 2028 for the implementation of High NA EUV in DRAM, Samsung is positioning itself to gain a competitive edge in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market. These advanced memory components are essential for the AI accelerators that power large language models and data centers.
"The AI era is transforming the semiconductor industry and increasing the importance of technological innovation across the entire value chain," said Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics. ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet echoed the importance of the relationship, noting that Samsung has been one of the company's most vital innovation partners for years.
Industry Outlook
The shift toward 12-inch masks represents a fundamental change in how the industry approaches lithography, determining the long-term cost-efficiency of the next generation of chips. As Samsung moves toward its 2028 DRAM goal, the industry will be watching to see if this first-mover advantage translates into a dominant share of the AI memory market. The success of this rollout will likely dictate the pace at which other players adopt High NA EUV for memory applications.